Ribbon-feeding mechanism.



R. B. CRAIG & A. COPFMAN.

RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED 4P3. 12, 1909.

Patented Dec. 14

flmm g jVfWM plication norms a divisional ap non ROBERT E. CRAIG AND ALBE'B/l? CQFFMAN, 9F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS T0 AUTOMATIC VENDIHG MACHINES COMPANY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A 003 PORATIQT-l' BE THE 075 NEW MEXICO.

HIBBON-FEEDIEG MECHANISM.

specification of Letters Iatent.

Original application filed November 30, 19%, Serial No. 465,182. Divided and this application filed April 12,

1999. Serial 1%. 489,456.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT {inert and ALBERT COFIMAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new. and useful Improvements in Ribbon-Feeding Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improve ments in ribbon feeding means for printin mechanism and is designed with especia reference to machines of the automatic vending type, as disclosed in our co-pending ap- Serial No. 165,182, dated Novem- 1908, and of which the present case lication.

The purpose of the'invention is to provide novel means for feeding the inking ribbon wherein the same is automatically reversed in its direction of feed when the ribbon has reached the limit of its travel in one direc tion.

ll ith this object in view the invention ber 30,

- embodies the further novel features disclosed in the] course of the following extended description, and set forth in the appended claims; reference being had to the gccompanying drawin wherein is shown the idea in its prefer-rec embodiment.

In the said drawing,--l igure 1 is a front view of the automatically mechanism for the inking ribbon; and, Fig.

is a plan view ofthe same.

deterring to the drawing in further detail, the numeral 73 designates a ribbon adapted to be Wound upon a pair of bobbins 1-32 provided with ratchets 133-wh-ich receive the awls 13 1 on a horizontally reciprocating ar Pawls 134: are pivoted upon screws 136 through the medium of slots 137 that permit the pawls to rise upon tliei r pivot screws. They are held normally downward by springs 138. A coupling rod 13$) connects the pawls and spaces their free ends at such distance that when either pawl is in driving relation to its, ratchet, the other pawl is in idle relation to its ratchet, so that the active pawl will drive and wind theribhon upon the bobbin being driven, while the idling pawl will drag over its ratchet and i icrmit the ribbon to unwind from the bobbin controlled thereby.

The angle of a pawl relatively to the is anchored fast to reversing feed bar 135 when the pawl is in driving) posltion, is such that the thrust u on t e pawl is approximately in the line 0 the slot through which the pawl is fitted to its pivot pin. From this circumstance, it results that when the ribbon is wholly um wound from the bobbin opposite to that reciprocating Patented-Dec. it, 1909;

upon which it is being wound, and its end the empty bobbin, the resistance of the engaged ratchet causes the pawl to rise u relatively to its in 136 and rock over an change its angu or position relatively to the ratchet. Inasmuch as it is connected to the pawl that was idling .up to this point, it shifts the angle of the latter, also, whereupon the previously acting pawlbecomes the idling pawl and that which was previously inactive now assumes driving relation to its own ratchet and the windin of the ribbon is reversed.

The ar 135 is reciprooated, or in a manner oscillated, by mounting it upon a pair of parallel arms 1 10 projecting from rockshafts 1 11, one of which shafts has an arm 142 connected by a pitman 143 with a rotating part of the machine to which the mechanism is fitted. It is intended that this connection shall be such that with each revolution of the rotating part the operating arm 143, acting in the manner just described, will, through the mechanism just described, intermittently feed the ribbon one step at a time.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 1- '1. A ribbon feeding mechanism comprising winding spools, ratchets having driving connection therewith, a reciprocating bar carryin pawls loosely mounted thereon and adapte to intermittently engage the ratchgts and drive thespools, means connecting t e active ends of the pawls whereby to effect positive alternate operative'and inoperative positions thereof, and means for effecting such positions of the pawls upon the unwi'ndingrof one of the spools.

2. A ribbon feeding mechanism comprising winding spools, ratchets having driving connection therewith, a reciprocating bar carrying pewls loosely mounted thereon and adapted to intermittently engage the ratchets, means connecting the operative ends of the pawls for keeping the active ing winding spools,

and the inactive pawl out of engagement with its ratchet, and means for causing the active pawl to over-ride its ratchet and bring the inactive pawl into operation to effect reverse winding of the ribbon.

3. A :ibbon feeding mechanism comprisratchets I having driving connection with said spools, pawls adapted to drive said ratchets, a reciprocating bar carrying said pawls, the pawls and ratchets being oppositely acting, said pawls being oked't'o ether at their active or en a in b D h ends so that wheneither ratchet resists drivng motion of its pawl,'the pawl yields and trips on the ratchet for ing the position of the the windtof the ribbon;

4. In aribbon feeding mechanism, the combination of the spools, the driving ratchets for the spools, the pawls cooperating with said ratchets, the bar connecting the pawls at their active or engaging ends and the reciprocating bar upon which the pawls are mounted; the pawls being connected directly to the bar through the medium of slots and the purpose of shiftpawls and reversing .pins, and the bar being provided with springs for depressing the pawls into engagement with their ratchets.

5. In combination with the spools, their ratchets, and the cooperating pawls; the re ciprocating bar upon which the pawls are directly mounted, the bar connecting the pawls at their active or engaging ends, the said reciprocating bar, the rock shaft from which said arms project and a crank forth.

G. A Iil)b0l1 feeding mechanism comprising winding spools, ratchets having driving connection therewith, a reciprocating bar carrying pawls, said pawls having direct slot and pin connection with the bar whereby the pawls have loose movement thereon, a yoke connecting the active or engaging ends of ing bar and engaging the pivoted ends of the pawls to hold the pawls in operative or inoperative position, and means tor causing the acting pawl to disengage from its ratchet or bring the other pawl into operation to efiect reverse winding of the ribbon.

The foregoing specification signed at Kansas City, Mo., this 3rd day of March, 1909.

' ROBERT B. CRAIG.

ALBERT COFFMAN. In presenceof two witnesses:

V. HUNDLEY, O. BURKE.

arm extending from one of said shafts and having suitable connection with driving mechanism for the purpose set f the pawls, springs carried by the reciprocat- 

